R.I. police fatally shoot woman accused of carjacking

PROVIDENCE — Police fatally shot a woman early Thursday morning who allegedly carjacked a vehicle at knifepoint, led authorities on a highway chase through two states and nearly ran them over.

PROVIDENCE — Police fatally shot a woman early Thursday morning who allegedly carjacked a vehicle at knifepoint, led authorities on a highway chase through two states and nearly ran them over.

Investigators did not immediately release the woman's name or identify the Pawtucket police officer who they believe fired the fatal shot.

The chase began when police in Attleboro, Mass., received a 911 call about 12:50 a.m. reporting that a woman armed with a knife had carjacked a vehicle from two men, said Rhode Island State Police Major Steven O'Donnell in a written statement.

A short time later, Pawtucket police across the border in Rhode Island spotted the vehicle heading south on Interstate 95 and chased it, eventually with help from the State Police.

After hitting a police cruiser, the woman drove across a median and up an embankment, then steered back down at several police officers on foot, who opened fire, he said.

The chase continued south into Warwick, where the woman lost control of the vehicle, spun around and got stuck in another median, O'Donnell said. Trying to prevent the woman from fleeing, police officers surrounded the vehicle with their cruisers.

A Pawtucket officer then became wedged between his cruiser and the suspect's vehicle, O'Donnell said. The officer fired a shot, which police believe hit the woman.

She was taken to Rhode Island Hospital and pronounced dead. An autopsy was planned to determine the exact cause of death. The Pawtucket police officer was treated for minor injuries to his legs.

Officials from the State Police, four local police departments and the attorney general's office are investigating the case.